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Welcome to Kicking the Seat!

Ian Simmons launched Kicking the Seat in 2009, one week after seeing Nora Ephron’s Julie & Julia. His wife proposed blogging as a healthier outlet for his anger than red-faced, twenty-minute tirades (Ian is no longer allowed to drive home from the movies).

The Kicking the Seat Podcast followed three years later and, despite its “undiscovered gem” status, Ian thoroughly enjoys hosting film critic discussions, creating themed shows, and interviewing such luminaries as Gaspar Noé, Rachel Brosnahan, Amy Seimetz, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Ian is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. He also has a family, a day job, and conflicted feelings about referring to himself in the third person.

First Lady of Rock: Suzi Quatro Interview

First Lady of Rock: Suzi Quatro Interview

Ian Simmons

Ian talks with music icon Suzi Quatro about the new documentary Suzi Q, which chronicles her life as a rock 'n roll pioneer. From singing with her sisters in a 1960s Detroit girl-group; to traveling the world as a brash teen vocal sensation who inspired the likes of Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, and The Runaways; to catching the acting bug with a three-season sting on Happy Days, director Liam Firmager captures the wild ride of a performer who sacrificed everything for her art.

In this brief interview, Ian catches up with Quatro about the documentary's surprising origins; generational creativity; and how her artistic drive isn't confined to just one art medium.

Note: Pardon the tiling in the first five minutes of the video. The connection improved significantly as the conversation went on.

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